David King thinks there’s a new epidemic spreading through the AFL – the chicken wing tackle.
New holding-the-ball rules were introduced in May that meant players were given less time to dispose of the ball and were judged harshly for failing to make a genuine attempt to dispose of the ball during tackles.
It’s the failure to make a genuine attempt that King thinks has brought back the chicken wing tackle given players find it hard to get rid of the footy if they only have one hand free, particularly if they’re not standing on their feet.
With players getting rewarded for pinning one arm as their opposition drops the footy or can’t get rid of the footy with a handball, King thinks the issue is only going to get worse.
As holding the ball numbers rise week-to-week, King laid out his concerns with the chicken wing and how the rule is being adjudicated.
If things keep trending in this direction, King can see plenty of shoulder issues happening as a result.
“I want to talk about the new epidemic that’s hit AFL footy and that’s the chicken wing tackle,” King said on SEN Whateley.
“I think we’re in trouble here. How do we get it out? This will just take hold now because players are getting rewarded for tackling in this fashion.
“I’m looking at the numbers and players adjust quickly, clubs adjust quickly. This is their profession, day to day they’re looking for ways to manipulate rules and to look for that one per cent improvement across the board.
“Last week we had 75 holding the balls. This week we had 90 and I think we’re heading towards 100.
“But I’m concerned about the manner of this tackle … there was a tackle laid by Sam Switkowski two years ago on Jack Ginnivan which is exactly what we are seeing 70, 80, 90 or 100 times a game.
“That got suspended for two weeks (when it happened). But instead of suspending, we’re rewarding with a free kick.
“That’s a massive shift. Unintended consequences? Absolutely this is.
“I don’t know how you change it, but at the moment, we’ve been lucky … there’s only been a couple of players that have had discomfort from these tackles, but we’re going to be talking about shoulders in the next few weeks.”
With new rules rewarding players for the style of tackle, King says that tacklers have changed the way they approach an opponent that possesses the footy.
He thinks that umpires must also not pay free kicks against when a player has one arm pinned after immediately picking up the footy, given they didn’t have reasonable time to dispose of the ball despite not making a genuine attempt to kick or handball.
“Players are running to tackle and they’re not even looking at the waist anymore. They’re grappling for the open hand,” King said.
“They’re grabbing a handle if you like. They’re wrist-locking. They’re grabbing an elbow and then all of a sudden, you’re in trouble.
“I think prior opportunity is a factor in this as well. There was a free kick paid in the Collingwood v Geelong game with Steele Sidebottom where he picked up the ball in a pack of players. He was the only one that said, ‘I’ll pick it up’.
“He was wing tackled and they paid a free kick against him, but for not disposing of the ball correctly immediately … it was just ridiculous. So there has to be a level of common sense with this. I hope we’re finding our feet with this.
“I hope that the umpires and the powers to be can get together and say, ‘Hey, listen, there are some that you have to ball up. You have to give the guy some prior opportunity’.
“Otherwise, we’re all going to stand around the footy like an open fire.”